Newcastle United looked comfortable on the road as they outplayed Leicester City and fully deserved all three points yesterday.
Newcastle United earned a 1-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium yesterday. The Magpies did not see much of the ball as the home side dominated possession, but Newcastle made the most of their chances to secure the crucial victory. Several players were in top form and this enabled Newcastle to claim a rare victory away from home.
The Toon have two favorable matches coming up on the schedule against Southampton (17th) and Brighton (16th), but before we look ahead, let us discuss what we learned against Leicester City yesterday.
Premier League Survival
Last night’s victory over Leicester City was the most important one of the entire season. Newcastle were dragged back in to the relegation mix after losing two straight matches to Arsenal and Crystal Palace, but this victory now sees Newcastle move 10 points clear of the drop zone. In other words, it is safe to say that Newcastle have maintained their Premier League status for next season.
Perez and Almiron
It was a joy to see Ayoze Perez score a brilliant goal and it was a shame to see Miguel Almiron not join him on the score sheet. Both players showcased their talents yesterday and they were undoubtedly the best men on the pitch. Perez did well all evening to get in dangerous positions and he was involved in most of Newcastle’s attacks.
Almiron had three great chances to score some goals for Newcastle, but defensive pressure and big saves from Kasper Schmeichel denied the former Atlanta United star. In addition to creating some chances, Almiron caused so many problems for Leicester City as he broke free down the wing on multiple occasions, especially in the second half.
Clean Sheet
Leicester City had some good chances to find an equalizer yesterday, but our hats must go off to Newcastle’s defenders for maintaining a clean sheet. Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Paul Dummett and Javier Manquillo did a good job of closing in on strikers, blocking shots and making quick clearances to disrupt Leicester City’s attack. Earning a clean sheet on the road is never easy in the Premier League, but Newcastle’s back-line stepped up for the team in a big way.